Maggio tees off in 60th U.S. Girls Junior Championship

Conway's Mary Michael Maggio will tee off at 11 a.m. central today in the 60th United States Girls' Junior Championship at The Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford, Conn.

It's Maggio's fourth consecutive year to qualify for the Girls' Junior. She hit the national scene last year, though, when she reached the round of 16 and knocked off a couple of well-known players.

"It's definitely exciting to be here for the fourth time, but I also don't want to get caught up in the excitement of just being here for the fourth time," she said Sunday following her second practice round. "I'm still here to hit good golf shots. My first goal is to get through the stroke play, then take it from there."

After Tuesday's second round of stroke play qualifying, the field of 156 will be cut to the low 64 to enter match play Wednesday. Double rounds of matches are set for Wednesday and Thursday, with semifinals scheduled for Friday and the 36-hole championship match Saturday.

Maggio will play with Paige Spiranac of Monument, Colo., and Samantha Wagner of Easton, Pa., in qualifying. They'll start on No. 10 today and tee off at 6 a.m. Conway time Tuesday from No. 1.

She said she liked the golf course.

"It's straightforward, nothing really tricky," she said. "It's pretty much driver off every par-5 and par-4, and mid-to-long irons into the par-3s. The rough is nasty, so we're going to try to avoid that."

The Hartford Golf Club opened in 1896 with course design by Donald Ross in 1914 and Devereaux Emmett in 1921. It will play this week from 6,265 yards with par 35-3671.

Kristen Park of Buena Park, Calif., will attempt to become only the third player ever to successfully defend her title. She became the tournament's fourth-youngest champion last year at 14 years, seven months and one day at Tacoma Country and Golf Club in Lakewood, Wash. It was her first match play event.

Maggio is one of four Arkansans in the field, along with Haley Sanders of Rogers, Taylor Fisher of Hot Springs and Chelsey Cothran of Springdale. Sanders is one of 23 players exempt into the championship by virtue of previous play in USGA women's events after she reached the quarterfinals of this tournament last year.

"We've never had four from Arkansas here when I've been here," Maggio said. "It's pretty exciting.

To keep up with Maggio this week, log onto www.usgirlsjunior.org or check the Log Cabin Democrat sports section.

STALNAKER TO

COMPETE IN OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL

CHAMPIONSHIP

Christopher Stalnaker of Conway will compete in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships July 31-Aug. 3 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Stalnaker, a senior-to-be at Conway High, will compete in the boys 16-18 age division.

According to a press release, hundreds of golfers from 10 to 18 will travel from throughout the world to play in the tournament, now in its 13th year at PGA National. Golfers ages 10 to 15 will play July 26-28 in three age divisions each for boys and girls: 10-11, 12-13 and 14-15. The older golfers, ages 16 to 18, will play July 31-Aug. 3.

The field will include 625 players representing 40 states, six Canadian provinces and 30 other nations. Among the event's past champions are Beth Bauer, Jonathan Byrd, Bubba Dickerson, Brittany Lincicome, Jeff Overton, Stacy Prammanasudh and Jennifer Rosales. A number of other well-known professional golfers, such as Amy Alcott, John Daly, Ernie Els, Justin Leonard, Nancy Lopez, Davis Love III, Michelle McGann, Phil Mickelson, Lorena Ochoa, Nick Price, David Toms and Tiger Woods, have participated in Optimist-sponsored championships.

The tournament can be tracked online at www.optimist.org/golf.

ASGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

The final major of the year on the Arkansas State Golf Association's amateur circuit will be the 42nd Match Play Championship at Harbor Oaks in Pine Bluff Thursday through Sunday.

Watch the Log Cabin for results of local golfers throughout the tournament.

UPCOMING ASGA EVENTS

Up next on the Arkansas State Golf Association designated schedule is the Hot Springs Country Club Junior Stroke (boys and girls), July 22-23; ASGA Match Play Championship (amateurs), Harbor Oaks, Pine Bluff, July 24-27; NEA Open (mid-seniors, seniors, super-seniors), Sage Meadows, Jonesboro, July 26-27; U.S. Amateur qualifying (amateurs and mid-seniors), Harbor Oaks GC, Pine Bluff, July 28; ASGA Mountain Valley Junior Stroke Championship (boys and girls), Pine Bluff CC, July 29-31; the Willis Watkins Memorial (amateurs, mid-seniors, seniors, super-seniors), Conway CC, Aug. 2-3; Thunder Bayou Men's Stroke (amateurs, mid-seniors, seniors, super-seniors), Blytheville, Aug. 9-10; Ben Geren Men's Stroke (amateurs, mid-seniors, seniors), Fort Smith, Aug. 9-10; and qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur (amateurs, mid-seniors), Diamante CC, Hot Springs Village, Aug. 11.

See the ASGA's Web site at www.asga.org for entry information.

(Golf writer Donna Lampkin Stephens may be reached at donnaken@mac.com)